There is an Isuzu 4BD2-TC Diesel engine for sale locally and I wanted to know if this is a good motor to put into a 1983 FJ60 truck. I was going to put a fully rebuilt 3B back into the truck but am now leaning toward a newer engine that I can easily get parts for and can upgrade the transmission and clutch easier if needed. Let me know any thoughts or good success stories with this motor. Well also let me know if this is a s*** idea.
FJ60 considering buying an Isuzu 4BD
- Thread starter yokota
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You need to talk to @coog , he’ll tell you it’s a winner. There are a handful of other guys too, he is just local to me so I’ve been in it quite a few times.
The biggest setback right now is nobody seems to be making adapters right now. I’ve got one that makes the back of the Isuzu look like a Cummins. So I’m going the nv4500 route. But he stopped making them. Check on 4btswaps.com in the Isuzu section. Kubotaswapper or something like that is going to start making Isuzu adapters soon. Maybe check with him.
The biggest setback right now is nobody seems to be making adapters right now. I’ve got one that makes the back of the Isuzu look like a Cummins. So I’m going the nv4500 route. But he stopped making them. Check on 4btswaps.com in the Isuzu section. Kubotaswapper or something like that is going to start making Isuzu adapters soon. Maybe check with him.
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Now these are adapter plates for the transmission? Sorry I’m still new to these land Crusier and engine swaps. Got the truck 1/8/21
So your 4 speed manual will have the rpm’s way too high at speed to cruise at highway speeds. Even the H55 (.83 O/D I think) will be too high of rpms. A lot of guys adapt the Isuzu to NV4500 then that to the stock t-case (this is what coog has). Or some do a 700r4 to the stock t-case. I would never put the 700r4 in anything by choice, but that’s just me. I’d say scan through some of the threads on here and 4btswaps.com and that will answer most of your questions. I’d try to get ahold of this guy Kubota Diesel conversions - Transmission Adapters - https://kubotaswappers.myshopify.com/ and ask what he plans to make adapters for. That would probably dictate a lot of your future plans.
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Yes sir I’ll get on it. So I can get an adapter and run cummins flywheels and clutch and adapt that to a nv4500 and from the 4500 I can attach the Toyota transfer case. Now when I have the nv4500 in the truck will the output drive to the rear axle need to change? Heading to see this Isuzu block right now so hopefully I get lucky and pick up gold.
That would be one direction to go. Before you bite though, make sure you can FIND an adapter. I’m not sure if they’re being made or are just in the works.
There is an adapter to mate a GM nv4500 to the t-case you have. Not sure on the Cummins. But it’s easy to swap the input shaft, so you could have a GM nv4500 and then swap the input shaft to use Cummins flywheel, bell housing, etc.
But check all that first, I’m not sure what direction Kubota swapper is going. I’d try to get an email off to him before committing to everything.
There is an adapter to mate a GM nv4500 to the t-case you have. Not sure on the Cummins. But it’s easy to swap the input shaft, so you could have a GM nv4500 and then swap the input shaft to use Cummins flywheel, bell housing, etc.
But check all that first, I’m not sure what direction Kubota swapper is going. I’d try to get an email off to him before committing to everything.
Hey @yokota check this out. Isuzu 4BD2TC with NV3500 transmission and GM transfer case - https://www.4btswaps.com/threads/isuzu-4bd2tc-with-nv3500-transmission-and-gm-transfer-case.109759/
Misread that. Thought it was an NV4500. Don’t know anything about the NV3500
Misread that. Thought it was an NV4500. Don’t know anything about the NV3500
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No probs ty for the link still helpful info.
On the surface that tranny engine combo looks like an interesting deal. I'd ask for a cold start video showing oil pressure too but you don't find something put together like that for sale often. I dont think the nv3500 is worth much. But if it's adaptor worked with the nv4500 it would be worth it.
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Got myself an om606 we can close this thread down if needed.
For those interested I made this conversion myself on a Land Rover 101 using a 4BD2TC,a NV4500 transmission and a Land Rover Discovery II transfer case. As there seemed to be no suitable adapters available and my company (ROAMERDRIVE) has access to a foundry we made a batch of the castings and machined them up. The conversion is not for the faint hearted as there is very little space for the motor but it all works very well. And a few people have purchased the castings since - mostly for application in Land Rover 110s.
The front casting requires no machining but you need the ISUZU flywheel and Pressure plate and use the Dodge 12" clutch with a Jeep clutch fork and external cylinder. The rear adapter also needs no machining ad uses the 29 spline exit shaft and includes an adapter shaft to fit the 230 transfer case. As we have one of our own 1:1.28 overdrives fitted my experience is that the 1:2 ratio transfer case is a bit high so we plan to exchange it for a Defender 1:4. The 101s Drum brakes are a bit pathetic so we have upgraded to vented GMC 13" dics on all four wheels.
Our ISUZU came out of a running truck but we overhauled it anyway using an offshore block lit and a replacement head from an outfit in California.
![IMG_2094[1].webp](https://forum.ih8mud.com/attachments/img_2094-1-webp.2607266/ "IMG_2094[1].webp")
The front casting requires no machining but you need the ISUZU flywheel and Pressure plate and use the Dodge 12" clutch with a Jeep clutch fork and external cylinder. The rear adapter also needs no machining ad uses the 29 spline exit shaft and includes an adapter shaft to fit the 230 transfer case. As we have one of our own 1:1.28 overdrives fitted my experience is that the 1:2 ratio transfer case is a bit high so we plan to exchange it for a Defender 1:4. The 101s Drum brakes are a bit pathetic so we have upgraded to vented GMC 13" dics on all four wheels.
Our ISUZU came out of a running truck but we overhauled it anyway using an offshore block lit and a replacement head from an outfit in California.
Any chance you still have some of those adapters for sale? I will be looking at doing the same swap (I have a 4BD2TC that I got for damn near free) and I'm racking my brain about adaptation.
No problem. Our company Global Roamer Corporation owns the tooling and we have a few in stock. We are not big into promoting the producat as we are going gangbusters in or main business which is manufacturing
Sorry I did not complete the last post. We manufacture overdrives here.
As I say we have the following components in stock.
AA Bell Housing fits ISUZU 4BD1 and 4BD2 motors in the front and Dodge NV 4500 at back. Uses an ISUZU pressure plate with a 12" Dodge disc and Dodge external fork components. US$500.00
BB We stock the ISUZU flywheels here in case you are using a former automatic. Flywheel comes with ring gear. $280.00
CC Rear casting. Our heavy duty rear casting bolts directly to the back of the NV4500 with the Dodge 29 spline output shaft and includes an adapter shaft so you can fit a Land Rover 230 transfer case from a Land Rover Defender or Discovery. There are great transfer cases with high and low range and come in Hi Ratios of 1.4 and 1.2. (Optional 1 to 1 gears can be ordered from the UK) The transfer case in commonly come with a built in locking Differential . Adapter casting adapter shaft and hardware kit total is $600
DD If you are using a transfer case from a Defender or a Discovey 2 (Not Discovery 1) we can supply an overdrive that gives you an optional 28% cruising gear. The overdrive is mechanically shifted but comes without linkages. $1550
All these prices are subject to change - a possibility if the US$ continues to decline.
As I say we have the following components in stock.
AA Bell Housing fits ISUZU 4BD1 and 4BD2 motors in the front and Dodge NV 4500 at back. Uses an ISUZU pressure plate with a 12" Dodge disc and Dodge external fork components. US$500.00
BB We stock the ISUZU flywheels here in case you are using a former automatic. Flywheel comes with ring gear. $280.00
CC Rear casting. Our heavy duty rear casting bolts directly to the back of the NV4500 with the Dodge 29 spline output shaft and includes an adapter shaft so you can fit a Land Rover 230 transfer case from a Land Rover Defender or Discovery. There are great transfer cases with high and low range and come in Hi Ratios of 1.4 and 1.2. (Optional 1 to 1 gears can be ordered from the UK) The transfer case in commonly come with a built in locking Differential . Adapter casting adapter shaft and hardware kit total is $600
DD If you are using a transfer case from a Defender or a Discovey 2 (Not Discovery 1) we can supply an overdrive that gives you an optional 28% cruising gear. The overdrive is mechanically shifted but comes without linkages. $1550
All these prices are subject to change - a possibility if the US$ continues to decline.
